1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to food products produced from citrus, and, more particularly, to such food products produced from the pulp of citrus.
2. Description of Related Art
In the commercial manufacture of citrus juices, one of the products is pulp, a fibrous material that holds the juice in the fruit. Owing to the large concentration of pulp in the juice, excess pulp is removed by mechanical separation of the juice, typically by passing it through a screen having a desired perforation size.
The pulp can be used to recover additional juice solids through a series of washes. A majority of the washed or spent pulp is then typically used to manufacture cattle feed.
The pulp can also be mixed with a small quantity of juice, pasteurized, and utilized in the production of high-level pulp citrus juices.
Alternatively, the pulp can be added back into citrus beverages to impart visual appeal and texture.
Citrus pulp, however, has not found appreciable use as a food product for human consumption, despite the fact that it is known to contain nutrients. Among those inventions that do address attempts to use pulp in marketable foods include those of Laurie (U.S. Pat. No. 2,858,221), who teaches the use of pulp cells in a molded frozen product; Walburn (U.S. Pat. No. 2,929,719), who combines citrus varieties to form a puree; Blake (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,224,981 and 4,232,053), who forms a nondairy aerated frozen dessert from pulp cells and also a comestible base to be used in jams or gels; and Loader (U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,017), who creates a chilled or frozen pudding-like product in combination with an acidified milk product.